


I wanted you

by reclusiveq



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Fluff, Humor, Jealousy, Light Bondage, Love Confessions, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multi, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Twisted and Fluffy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-15
Updated: 2014-07-03
Packaged: 2018-02-04 17:13:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1786810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reclusiveq/pseuds/reclusiveq
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Between watching over Steve - making sure he doesn't get into too much trouble - and a full load of classes, Bucky isn't sure he has time for anything else. His feelings for Steve had been rebuffed back when they were in high school, so when the suave and handsome Tony Stark starts showing an interest in Bucky, Bucky decides to give him a try. Steve, confused by his own jealous feelings towards Bucky and Tony becoming close, Steve launches a prank war between the art department and the science department.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> Just a quick note/update on this fic: Looking back at the way I wrote Steve in this, I'm not a fan. I wrote this without a beta, back before I knew very many people in the fandom. I was on my own for a lot of these fics and it shows. I feel this Steve is too OOC, when what I was trying to portray was a Steve who was too wrapped up in his own problems to see that he wasn't the only one with problems and a Steve who was slowly realising his own feelings toward his best friend. There are a lot of issues with it that I am willing to admit to. But thank you to everyone who has enjoyed it. I might end up orphaning this fic at some point in the future, since I currently have too much on my plate to try and rewrite it, but I just wanted to put this note here for you guys.

Bucky was still awake, studying for his engineering midterm, when his roommate came falling through the door. Steve landed on his side with a grunt and a laugh, laying there for a minute. Bucky glanced at him over the top of his book. Steve’s eyes were bloodshot and he was giggling like a four year old. 

“So what did you take this time?” Bucky asked, a little irritably. It wasn’t the first time that Steve had tried out something new at one of the parties Natasha always dragged him to. Bucky worried a little, but Steve was an adult and could make his own decisions.

Steve, still shaking with amusement, shook his head. “I don’t know, but it was great.” He was oblivious to Bucky’s mood.

“That’s real great, Steve. You do know midterms start tomorrow.”

Steve rolled over and stumbled back to his feet. He swayed, staring at the door for a moment, as if trying to remember how to close it. He eventually gave up and turned towards his bed. He came perilously close to falling again, but managed to wait until he got to his bed before collapsing. “...it’ll be fine,” he mumbled into his blankets. Bucky idly wondered if he would suffocate. 

Getting up himself, Bucky walked to the door and closed it. “You’re a mess, Steve.” Of course it would be fine for Steve. Steve was an art student, after all. Did they even have midterms? Not that it would matter. Steve would ace his tests anyways. He always did. 

Steve mumbled something into his bed that Bucky didn’t catch. He didn’t ask him to repeat it. Whatever drug Steve had taken would knock him out soon, leaving Bucky in peace to cram some more. 

The two of them were childhood friends. Steve had always been the one to get into trouble, leaving Bucky to bail him out. It was never any kind of big trouble. Just an occasional fight, or a small bit of vandalism (Steve was into street art). Of course nobody believed Steve would ever do that sort of thing, Bucky thought with an inward sigh. Steve had been blessed with the face of an angel. 

How many times had Bucky ended up in a counselor’s office because they believed it had been Bucky’s fault? That Bucky had dragged Steve into this? Bucky didn’t even try to protest. With his own father’s rap sheet, everyone expected Bucky to be a troublemaker, although he had never personally done anything to give that indication. Fighting it was too much trouble, so instead Bucky just put his nose to book and studied hard.

It must have done him some good because, despite all the opposition he had faced, Bucky was finally at university, following his childhood dream of becoming an engineer. His ultimate goal was to go work for Stark Industries, but he knew he’d have to prove himself. The one bright side was that he was second in his class, only outstripped by Tony Stark, the suave, handsome son of Stark Industries CEO and founder, Howard.

Howard was the reason Bucky had decided to become an engineer in the first place. He remembered his parents taking him to Stark Expo one year, before they started charging an insane amount of money for tickets. Seeing all the inventions… it stuck with Bucky and he never forgot how much _he_ wanted to be the one showing off.

And if he had a bit of a crush on Howard, well… who could blame him? Even with a college age son, Howard had only grown more distinguished. Not that he would ever admit it to anyone. Even Steve, his best friend, had no idea that Bucky swung both ways. More than once, Bucky had imagined meeting Howard in person for the first time, and not all of those fantasies were pure.

A heavy snore from Steve’s bed brought Bucky out of his thoughts. Well, fuck. He was never going to be able to study now. Whatever happened tomorrow, he’d just have to deal with it. He got up and fixed Steve - old habits died hard and the weather was still cold outside. Then he flipped the lights out and climbed into bed, surrounded by his textbooks, soon falling asleep himself.

~~~  
Steve let out a grunt as Bucky threw his shoe at him. It smacked him in the head - not exactly where Bucky had been aiming, but as long as it woke the blonde bastard up, Bucky didn’t care where it hit. Bucky himself was throwing on clothes, having woke up late himself. He decided to blame Steve for that one too, but really, he’d been having a very happy dream about a certain handsome engineer and hadn’t exactly wanted to wake up. 

Morning light streamed in through the window and as much as he wanted to take care of the state his dream had left him in, Bucky wasn’t about to be late to his first midterm. He pulled on one shoe, hopping over to Steve’s bed as he did so to retrieve the other. “Get your ass up, Rogers. I know you have a class in an hour.” Hell if he knew what though. 

Steve groaned and rolled over, refusing to open his eyes. “What time is it?”

“Eight,” Bucky said with a merciless grin. “I’ve got exams all day.” He had had the misfortune of having all of his general ed exams on the same day. Psychology, basic reasoning, history… What had possessed him to take as many of those classes as he could all at once? He was only half way through the semester and already felt like he’d been dragged through hell. At least his Russian class wasn’t too bad. Only reason he was taking Russian and not some useful language was because of a bet he’d had with Steve.

He grabbed his bag and ran out. His first exam was on the other side of school. He’d be able to make it in time if he ran. No time for coffee though. Dammit. No time for anything except to run. This particular teacher was apparently known for locking out students who showed up late.

By the end of the day, all Bucky wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep for a week. Thankfully he only had two exams scheduled for tomorrow. He wondered who scheduled these things. Probably some sadistic bureaucrat in a comfy office, gleefully rubbing his hands together in true villainous fashion, planning on how to screw over the students _this_ time. Last year, during his freshman year, Bucky had actually had two exams scheduled at the same time. It had been a nightmare.

Bucky decided the library was probably better than his dorm room for studying. As much as he wanted to crash, his two exams he had tomorrow were actually the ones he had to ace. One was basic calculus, and the other was the engineering exam he’d been studying for last night. He knew where he sat in both those classes - necessary for his major - but the midterm was worth 30% of his final grade. The final would be just as bad, but he had to focus on one thing at a time.

And if Steve was in the dorm, he’d just chatter at Bucky endlessly. So Bucky changed directions and headed toward the library. He was stopped about halfway there by none other than Tony Stark. Bucky swallowed. He’d managed to avoid Tony because, while he really wanted to meet Howard, he knew that Tony wasn’t close with his dad, and Tony didn’t seem like the sort to appreciate someone getting close to him just to get to his dad.

“Hey, James, right?” Tony had his arm around the flavour of the week, a pretty young woman with bleach blonde hair. Bucky knew most would have dismissed her as an airhead, but he happened to know Sarah, and she was a brilliant microbiologist who just happened to be dating Tony. She was also ambitious as hell, but that didn’t bother Bucky.

It took Bucky a moment to realise Tony had used his real name. “Uh, yeah. I go by…”

“Yeah, sure. Look, I’m hosting a party for everyone in the school of engineering after midterms. Saturday night. Consider yourself invited. You can bring a friend, if you want.” The implication was clear though. Don’t. Bucky nodded. 

“I… I’ll be there.”

Tony slipped an envelope into the Bucky’s pocket, then turned and sauntered off. Bucky watched him go. He wasn’t stupid. Tony had said everyone was invited, but he did this after every big test, and this was the first time Bucky had been invited. Either this time was different, or Bucky had passed some other test he hadn’t known he was taking.

Glancing around, Bucky pulled out the envelope. He wondered if he should wait until he was alone. He very nearly dropped it when a shadow fell over him. “Well well. Tony Stark finally had the good graces to invite you to a party,” came the silky sweet voice. 

Bucky didn’t have to look to see who it was. Everyone on campus knew about Loki. His brother Thor was the star of the football team. Loki, however, seemed content to just coast through life without a clear plan. At least that’s the impression he gave off. He also liked to cause problems. Bucky shoved the envelope back into his pocket.

“I suppose so,” he said, non-commitedly. Best not to give Loki any bait to use against him.

“Odd that he hasn’t invited any other sophmore. Just you. He must like you.”

Bucky coughed to hide the blush and shrugged. “Probably just hadn’t got around to it.”

“Indeed.” Loki made no motion to leave, so Bucky had to edge away. “Well, I need to go study.” He turned and hurried off. Halfway back to his dorm, he remembered he wanted to study at the library, but there was no way he was going back now. He hoped Steve was out.


	2. Distractions

Steve was out. He’d only had a couple of exams today and they’d both been easy. Right now, he was sitting in a hole in the wall coffee shop off campus with Natasha and Clint. “Don’t know why he was so upset. It’s not as though that’s the worst condition I’ve been in.” He rubbed the spot where the shoe had smacked his head that morning.

Natasha laughed. “You were probably snoring.”

“I don’t snore,” Steve protested. “He’s just jealous because I don’t have hard finals.”

Natasha snickered. “I think you just wanted him to dote on you and you’re sore because he didn’t.”

“I am not! I can take care of myself. I don’t need any help from him.”

“Methinks thou doth protest too much,” Natasha teased. Clint was doubled over in laughter. “I never said you needed help. I said you wanted it. I know how kinky you are, don’t forget. You’d probably love to order him around.”

Steve had the good grace to blush at that, but he didn’t deny it. He loved it when Bucky had followed him around all the time when they were younger, even if it was just to keep Steve out of trouble. Now it seemed like Bucky had no time for such things anymore. “Well, it doesn’t matter anyway. I’ve got a thing tonight, so I won’t be able to go out. Any parties happening this weekend?”

“None that we know of… yet,” Natasha said. 

“Oh, surely you know about Tony’s party,” came a voice from the next table over. Steve glanced over and sighed. 

“Hello, Loki.” He wasn’t sure when Loki had come in, but then, the man had a knack for showing up places without notice. He wondered how much Loki had overheard.

“What was that about a party?” Clint asked. He just loved the parties for the free drinks they offered. Well, the free drinks and the fact that Natasha liked to dress up for them. That part wasn’t so bad either. Clint was probably the only one who could somewhat handle Loki, but Steve suspected that’s because Clint didn’t know Loki that well. He had just transferred in this year.

“Tony Stark, the son of Stark Industries CEO. He always holds parties. Oh, but only for the people he’s… personally interested in. He likes to have… options.”

Natasha rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. He’s a philanderer. We all know, Loki.”

“Did you also know he’s invited a sophmore this year?”

Steve and Natasha exchanged a glance. Not that either of them knew for certain (they didn’t travel in the same circles for that), but they’d both heard rumours. The art departments and the science departments never mingled, of course, so rumours always abounded on both sides about the other. 

Tony was a junior himself, but he had quickly captured the attention of everyone in the department. Everyone wanted to be Tony’s friend, because Tony would be next in line to take over as CEO from his father. But Tony was actually pretty particular about his close friends. He said the parties were to get to know people, but that couldn’t have been true. So rumours had started that the parties were basically giant orgies. Some people thought that the parties were where Tony decided on his next bedroom conquest. Others thought it was an opportunity to find a doormat to take the blame.

Most of the rumours were pretty ridiculous, but the sex-themed ones seemed the most likely, given Tony’s propensity towards having a new trophy every week. Not just girls either. Sometimes he’d be seen with men as well. 

“So who is the sophmore?” Steve asked, against his better judgement. Loki was clearly waiting for exactly that question.

“Hmm… what was his name… John? No, sorry. James. James Barnes. Oh, isn’t he your roommate?” Loki asked innocently. 

Steve hadn’t realised how tightly he was gripping his paper cup until hot coffee splashed on his hand. He cursed and reached for a napkin. “Yeah, right. Very funny, Loki.”

“It’s true. I saw Tony ask him myself. I can’t imagine what he’d want with a sophmore, to be perfectly honest, but the look Tony had on his face… Well, I’ve already said too much. It’s too bad you three aren’t invited, but I suppose Tony only likes them with brains.”

He laughed and left the coffee shop before any of them could say anything. Steve huffed. “I’ve got brains,” he said moodily, trying not to think of Bucky with Tony. It didn’t work. His mind betrayed him and started picturing all the things Tony would do to Bucky if he got him alone. And knowing Bucky, he’d probably let him.

“You know Loki just likes to get a rise out of people,” Natasha warned. “Besides, it’s probably innocent. We don’t actually know what goes on at those parties.”

“Well, let’s find out,” Steve said suddenly.

Both Natasha and Clint blinked at him. 

“What?” Clint asked.

“Are you out of your mind?” Natasha said at the same time.

“Nope. Let’s crash that party and show them what real fun is.”

~~~  
Steve got back to the dorm late again, holding a small duffel bag full of spray paints. After night had fallen, he’d gone into the city to relieve some frustration. It didn’t take long to decorate the side of a building with a gorgeous piece of art. It would get painted over soon, but for now, it made him smile.

He wasn’t really worried about getting caught either. Police weren’t as active in this area as they were in other areas. And making this sort of art relaxed him. And he needed to relax after the coffee shop. Sure, he knew Loki liked to cause trouble, but that didn’t also mean he wasn’t telling the truth. And just thinking about Bucky with someone else…

Not that Steve had any claim to Bucky. The two had been friends since they were kids, but that had mostly consisted of Steve getting into fights and Bucky pulling him out of them, only to get in trouble. And Steve… he knew it was terrible, but he let it happen. Bucky probably hated him, but it didn’t stop Steve from getting jealous. Bucky had promised to take care of him. No one else, just Steve.

With a sigh, Steve finished. He hadn’t calmed down at all. He needed something else to take the edge off. Good thing he knew where there was a good club nearby. He packed his paints into the duffel and dumped them into a trashcan a few blocks down. The cans were empty so no point in hanging on to the evidence.

He hit up the club, and smiled at a few of the women. Growing up, he never would have gotten this kind of attention, but puberty had been good to him and he had taken advantage of it. He never led anyone on, he wasn’t that sort of guy. He always treated the women he dealt with with respect. Just because he was a troublemaker didn’t mean he lacked decency.

He didn’t need cheesy pickup lines either, though if thought it would make the girl laugh, he’d occasionally use one. He’d just smile until one of them gave him a signal that said it was okay to approach. 

He returned to the dorm, looking roughed up but happy. Bucky was already asleep. Steve watched him for a minute, then crawled into bed and pulled the covers over his head, struggling not to think about it.


	3. Party

Bucky was surprised at how few people were actually at Tony’s party, but that didn’t mean it was a quiet affair. Tony had apparently hired a DJ and there was an open bar as well. Bucky was a year too young to drink, but Tony popped over and immediately handed him a drink. “Glad to see you made it, James,” he said over the loud music.

“It’s Bucky,” he replied, feeling awkward hearing someone use his real name. “I go by Bucky.”

“Got it. Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.”

Tony actually lived off campus in an apartment that his dad had set up for him. Well, Tony called it an apartment. Bucky thought it was just a decent-sized house. It was two stories with most of the standard amenities on the first floor and three bedrooms on the second. There was a pool in the back. Tony showed him the bathroom first, then led him upstairs. One of the bedrooms had been turned into a standard office, the second into a workshop-type space. Tony led Bucky into the office and closed the door. 

Bucky was surprised to find that the sound was drifting through the floor. He’d expected to at least hear the bass, but it seemed this room was well insulated from the cacophany downstairs. Tony sat on the edge of the desk and indicated for Bucky to take a seat.

“So Bucky, I know you’re curious about why I invited you here.”

Bucky swallowed, pointedly not looking at the way Tony had casually spread his legs. The man was wearing tight jeans that hid nothing and Bucky thought back to what Loki had said. “Maybe a little,” he admitted, deciding to look Tony in the eyes instead. That was probably a mistake. Tony looked an awful lot like Howard. Bucky held his glass in his lap, hoping his boner wasn’t showing too badly.

Tony smiled. “Truth is, I was impressed, Bucky. I know what your goals are. I know you want one of the internship slots at Stark Industries next year. Yet you never tried to get close to me to obtain that. You worked hard on your own. Second in the class. Of course there’s no way you’d beat me.”

Okay, so humility wasn’t Tony’s strong suit. Bucky wasn’t surprised by that. He just nodded. “I’d rather get there on my own effort. I mean, you can only rely on others so much. Eventually you’ll have to do the work you were hired to do.”

Tony smiled, a brilliant smile that was both encouragingly kind and infuriatingly superior. He was damned determine to keep his legs spread, as if it was an invitation. “You’re right about that. And that’s why I decided I wanted to get to know you. My father is always looking for the best minds. If you continue to impress me for the rest of this year, I’ll put in a good word for you.”

“I thought you didn’t like your father.”

Tony laughed hard. “I don’t. But his business will be mine one day and while I can do a lot of the engineering myself, even I can’t do it all.”

Bucky couldn’t help but smile himself. He lifted his glass and sipped his drink, forgetting he was hiding his apparently out of control hormones for a second. His gaze dropped as he drank and before he realised, he had drained his whole glass. Of course the alcohol went straight to his head. He didn’t drink much, and this was the strong stuff.

He stood suddenly and swayed. “Uh, bathroom?” 

Tony jumped up and hurried over, suddenly apologetic. “Whoa. Sorry. I forget not everyone can handle their liquor.”

“‘m not a light weight,” Bucky slurred.

“Of course not.” Tony helped him to the bathroom. “Right. No more liquor for you.”

Bucky felt unsteady as he walked. Well, this had gone downhill in a heartbeat. He stared at the toilet, then looked at Tony. “I’ll be fine,” he said. “You better g’down to yer….” He tried to think of the word and failed. “Them.” He waved.

Tony just gave a shake of his head and closed the door behind him, leaving Bucky to stare at the toilet and wonder if he had come in here to go to the bathroom or throw up.

~~~  
Tony closed the door, smiling to himself. The kid was an open book. It was easy to see that he was attracted to Tony, so Tony had purposely teased him. Well, no. Not attracted to Tony, per se. But close enough. Tony did take after his father after all. He would have to get the two of them into a room together, if for no other reason than to see how Bucky reacted. He doubted Howard would actually go that far, so no worries there.

He frowned as he started down the stairs. There was a commotion out back and it didn’t take long for Tony to realise what was going on. Someone had crashed his party. He was annoyed but hid it. He knew most of the students in the sciences, and these people were not familiar to him.

Actually, that one was. Natasha Romanoff. Seeing her and her two cohorts hanging out at the edge of the pool, everything clicked into place. These were _art_ students. He managed to keep his temper and walked coolly over to Natasha, Clint, and Steve. 

Natasha smiled sweetly at him. “Hello, Tony dear. Lovely party,” she drawled. He didn’t smile back. 

“This is a private party. I don’t recall inviting _you_.” He folded his arms over his chest.

“You didn’t,” Natasha said matter of factly. “But you have a certain reputation and it just so happens that you invited a friend of ours.”

“I doubt that. We don’t mingle.”

“Well it’s true. Unless you didn’t invite James Barnes.”

Tony stared her down. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

“So you did. You see Bucky and Steve here are childhood friends.” 

The implication was clear enough for Tony to hear. There was something else going on here. Steve was looking a little green around the gills. Jealous? Not just jealous that Bucky had new friends though. Tony was well aware of the rumours surrounding his parties. Hell, he had helped perpetuate most of them himself. No, Tony recognized the little green-eyed monster in the way Steve was pointedly sizing Tony up without actually looking at him.

Well, this was about to be even more fun than Tony had thought possible. He smiled suddenly, all teeth. “You shouldn’t worry about him. I’ve made sure he is _very_ comfortable.” A simple statement, but loaded with so much innuendo, and sure enough, Steve’s ears turned a shade darker. “Not that he complained, of course.”

Steve finally turned on Tony. ‘Listen here, you little shit. Where is Bucky? If you’ve done anything to him…”

“I haven’t done anything he didn’t want.”

Steve’s face turned purple and he swung at Tony in a rage. Before either of them could blink, Natasha grabbed Steve’s arm and threw him into the pool. Tony started laughing hysterically as Steve came up, sputtering. “Natasha.”

She got down. “You idiot. Come on. We’re done.”

“Not without Bucky,” Steve growled, glaring up at Tony.

Natasha leaned down and whispered something into his ear. Tony couldn’t see what, but it made Steve back down. Natasha helped him out of the pool and looked at Tony. “This isn’t over, Stark.”

“I’m sure.” Tony watched as they left, taking the rest of the art students with them. Well, the rest of this semester would be interesting, if nothing else.


	4. Morning after

Bucky woke with a throbbing headache. Rolling over, he reached for his phone, only to find it wasn’t in his normal spot. He slowly realised he wasn’t in his bed at all. He glanced down. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. What the hell had happened last night? He peeked under the covers. No pants either. Well, at least he still had his briefs on, not that that was much better. 

It dawned on him where he was. This was Tony’s bedroom. Even if he’d forgotten the room itself, the family portrait on the wall gave it away. Had they…?

As if thinking about him had summoned him, Tony appeared in the doorway, wearing a slightly open robe and not much else. He was holding some clothes in his hands. Bucky swallowed hard, then licked his lips. It would probably haunt him for the rest of his life if they’d had sex and he couldn’t remember any of it. 

“I had your clothes sent to be washed,” Tony said, clearly oblivious to the fact that they were both mostly naked. Bucky was glad the blankets were covering him up. What the hell was wrong with him? It wasn’t as though he was *really* attracted to Tony. The man just happened to look like a sex god was all. 

“Washed?”

“Well,” and here Tony had the good sense to look embarrassed. “You sort of threw up....”

“Oh god.” Bucky turned and buried his face in the pillows, hiding his shame.

Tony chuckled. “Don’t worry. Nobody saw. Your dignity is intact.”

“Except you,” he said, voice muffled.

That got a genuine laugh from Tony. “Nothing happened, if you were wondering. I don’t take advantage of people in that sort of state.”

“Oh.” Relief and disappointment flooded through Bucky. He glanced up and shifted the blankets a bit. If he’d really thrown up, there would be no hope for anything now anyway.

“We probably should talk though. Your friends came to pay a visit last night.”

It took Bucky a moment to process that. He didn’t have friends except for… “Oh. Oh god. Steve came here?”

“Afraid so. It didn’t end well.”

“I am so sorry. I never told him. He didn’t...”

“Get dressed. Here’s some clothes for you. Pretty sure they’re your size. We’ll talk over breakfast.” Tony tossed them onto the bed and walked away before Bucky could apologize anymore.

Bucky looked at the clothes and sighed. There went his chances for an internship. Getting up, he pulled on the jeans. He’d never worn skinny jeans before and couldn’t imagine what the hype was about as he struggled into them. He was actually pretty sure they were cutting off circulation to some very important parts of himself. Still, he managed to get them zipped up. At least the shirt left some breathing room. With another sigh, he grabbed his phone and made the dreaded trip down to the dining room.

Pancakes, eggs, bacon, and toast were waiting for him. Tony flashed him a smile and waved him to a seat. Could Bucky even sit in these jeans without ripping the seams? One way to find out. He slipped into a seat across from Tony. “Uh, thanks for the clothes.”

“They look good on you. You should show yourself off like that more often.”

Bucky was pretty sure his face had turned a few shades redder after that comment. Tony chuckled. “You don’t get complimented very often, do you?”

“Not really,” Bucky admitted. “Or at least not to my face.”

“Pity. Well, on to business. Steve…”

“I am so sorry about that. Did he cause any trouble? I can talk to him, I promise.”

Tony blinked. “I’m not mad, Bucky. Well, not at you, anyway.”

That surprised Bucky. Everyone blamed Bucky when Steve was being an asshole or just causing trouble. “You’re not?” Bucky picked up a slice of bacon and nibbled at it

“Why would I be? Do people always get mad at you because of him?” Bucky didn’t answer that, and Tony let it drop, grabbing some toast. “He just doesn’t seem… stable. Seems to think he’s your keeper. Just out of professional curiosity, are you two together?”

Bucky choked on his bacon. “No, god no. We’re just friends.”

“I see. So… never?”

“Well... I mean, maybe I thought about it back in high school. But Steve made it pretty clear he just wanted to be friends. So I moved on. I got over him.” That last part wasn’t completely true. He’d never really gotten over Steve. But he respected his friend enough to not push the matter.

“Well, you might want to talk to him. He was pretty mad that you were here.” There was a tone in Tony’s voice that made Bucky look closer at him. Was that… concern? Bucky hadn’t known Tony long enough to be able to read him. But whatever the tone was, it made Bucky feel at ease.

“Steve can piss off for once. I’ve done nothing but clean up his messes.” Bucky was surprised by how vehemently that had come out. He didn’t hate Steve, but maybe he was tired of it all. Not of Steve, just… having to deal with the fallout.

Tony smiled and changed the subject. “So you’re not taken, I know that much. And not that I would ever take advantage of my father’s position, or mine, but if you ever did want to have recreational sex, I’d be more than willing. No strings attached. Your choice though. It won’t influence my decision on having you placed as an intern, seeing as I’ve already decided to get you that position. You’ve got a bright future ahead of you.”

It was odd, but that straightforward admission did more to relax Bucky than any of the flirting had. Maybe because now he knew where he stood with Tony. He swallowed and summoned up a courage he didn’t know he had, then gave Tony what he hoped was a charming smile. “You have had me on edge since I walked in that door and I’ve wanted nothing more than to have you fuck me hard.” 

Tony looked surprised for once, and Bucky didn’t blame him. Hell, he was surprised too. How the hell did he find the balls to say that with a straight face? Tony’s surprise faded quicker than Bucky’s and his mouth curled up into a mischievous smile. Bucky swallowed, but it was too late to back out now, if he’d even wanted to. What was he getting himself into?

“You ever had sex before?” Tony asked. 

“Once, but never with…” Bucky gestured at Tony.

“Never with a guy,” Tony guessed. Bucky nodded. “Well, don’t worry, I’m experienced enough for the both of us.” He stood up and pulled Bucky out of his chair, leaving the breakfast forgotten. Bucky wasn’t sure he’d have an appetite after this anyway.

Soon they were making their way upstairs. It wasn’t a quick journey since, now that they had both decided on this, they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Tony was still only wearing his robe, so it was easier for him to shed his trappings. Bucky slipped his hands under the lush fabric and slid it off Tony’s shoulders, letting it fall to the floor as they maneuvered themselves towards the stairs. They paused for a moment so Tony could get Bucky’s shirt off, then continued up.

They barely broke their kiss. Tony was an excellent kisser and he didn’t limit himself to just Bucky’s mouth. His lips pressed against the nape of Bucky’s neck as Tony’s hands slid into the band of the jeans, groping Bucky’s ass. Bucky missed the first step of the stairs and fell over, bringing Tony with him. That just gave Tony easier access to get Bucky’s pants off. His hands flew to the zipper. He peeled the jeans off and ground against Bucky right on the stairs. Bucky wasn’t sure how long he was going to last at this rate. 

Tony didn’t let him up for a moment, letting his tongue roll along Bucky’s stomach. Bucky wrapped his fingers in Tony’s hair, gasping for breath. He’d wanted this more than he realised. Tony kissed up Bucky’s body, stopping to nibble at his throat. He pinned Bucky’s arms over his head as he did so, then grinned down at him.

“Too much?” Tony asked, his voice breathy and teasing.

“Ngh,” was the sound that escaped from Bucky’s lips. Then, “...more.”

“Here?”

Bucky didn’t want to move. He wanted this now. He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to make it to the bedroom. Tony seemed to understand. He went down, slipping off Bucky’s underwear, the last remnants of modesty Bucky was sporting. Bucky didn’t bother being embarrassed by how hard he already was, he was too lost in the moment to care.

Tony proved to be good at using his mouth for things other than just kissing. Bucky closed his eyes, chewing his lip, trying not to be loud. He failed. If he wasn’t quite screaming, it was pretty close. Tony was more than just good and Bucky’s hips frantically thrust upwards as Tony worked him over.

Bucky didn’t last long after that. He tensed as he came, then went limp against the stairs, panting. Tony licked him clean, then stood and picked Bucky up with a strength Bucky didn’t know the man possessed. Tony obviously wasn’t done with him as he carried him to the bedroom and dropped him onto the bed. Bucky opened his eyes after a moment and watched Tony. Tony stood naked next to the bed, holding something in his hands and smiling down at Bucky. Reaching out, Bucky rolled onto his side and grabbed Tony’s hip, pulling him closer. He smelled good. Tony set his knee on the edge of the bed, giving Bucky an even better view and held up the bottle of lube he’d been holding.

“I want you to stroke me while I get you ready,” Tony said, and though his tone was still light and teasing, there was a command behind it that sent shivers through Bucky. He liked it. 

Tony worked on him slowly, fingers tracing the line of his crack, exploring. He was generous with the lube as he slowly worked Bucky open. Bucky realised he was getting hard again too, slowly this time. Tony seemed to know all the right buttons to press. After a few minutes, when Tony was sure Bucky was ready, he pulled away and settled himself between Bucky’s legs. “Just relax.”

Easy for him to say. Bucky was tense with desire. Tony worked his way in, agonizingly slow. Bucky made a sound that could only be described as a whimper. He wanted Tony to go harder, but Tony seemed determined to prolong this wonderful torture. Tony stroked Bucky in time to his own movements. Bucky went from gripping the blankets, to the headboard and back to the blankets, biting his lip. In between gasps of pleasure, Bucky found himself practically begging Tony to go faster.

That only made Tony go slower. It wasn’t a bored or irritated slowness either. He knew exactly what this was doing to Bucky. He managed to find all the little hot spots on Bucky’s body that set him quivering against the sheets. Bucky thought he might lose his senses completely before Tony brought him to climax again. Every touch, every thrust, was made deliberately to bring Bucky the most pleasure he’d ever even dreamt of. 

Finally - Finally! - Tony started moving faster, though still at his own pace. Bucky stopped whimpering and started moaning, his voice getting louder the faster Tony moved. Those last few minutes blurred together, then Tony was coming and the sensation was enough to make Bucky climax as well.

Tony pulled out and rolled onto his back. Bucky rolled onto his side, feeling spent. Tony grinned at him. “You’re a pretty good lay,” he said. “Get some sleep.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a little help on this chapter (though sorry still no real beta as everyone I know doesn't ship stucky the way I do :/ and didn't feel comfortable being a beta. So sorry for the somewhat crappy smut). But the help I did get was much appreciated and even more so was the encouragement they gave me writing this. They know who they are.


	5. The war begins

Steve’s pencil was digging into the paper of his sketchbook. He wasn’t paying attention to what he was drawing, as his thoughts were focused elsewhere. It was late Sunday evening and Bucky still hadn’t shown back up. Steve hadn’t left his dorm room all day, waiting for his friend to get back. He was sure that, even if Bucky had fallen asleep at Tony’s place last night, he would have been back home before lunch. But he hadn’t come home and Steve had grown increasingly frustrated. 

It was some time after dinner when a key turned in the lock and the door opened. And there was Bucky, looking like he’d just woken up, wearing a pair of tight jeans that left little to the imagination. Steve licked his lips, then wondered what was wrong with him. The way the jeans stretched over Bucky’s thighs was making Steve’s body react, though he’d never felt anything for his friend before. He shook his head to clear it and forced himself to look back at his sketchbook.

“Where have you been? You never came home last night.”

“Not that it’s any of your business, especially after that stunt you pulled last night, but I was at Tony’s.”

“I was worried.” Steve jabbed at the paper, glancing over at Bucky again. Bucky was getting undressed and changing into sweats, his back to Steve. Steve couldn’t help but notice the line of Bucky’s shoulders as he hunched over and the smooth slope of his ass… Blushing, Steve focused on his drawing. It was a mess by now. He ripped it out and crumpled it up, tossing it into the waste bin. “Those aren’t your clothes. Did you sleep with him?” Steve asked irritably. He didn’t know why he was feeling so agitated.

“Christ, are you my mother?” Bucky snapped. “Who cares if I did or not?”

“So you did. I don’t like him. He’s an asshole. What if he’s got some sort of STD? Did he use protection?”

Bucky just laughed. Steve didn’t think it was amused laughter either. “Of course he’s an asshole. He’s rich. He’s allowed. But he’s also not the sort to take advantage of someone.” He hadn’t responded to the question about protection, Steve noticed.

“How do you know? You don’t know the guy.”

“And you do? Whatever, Steve. I’m going to sleep. Some of us actually have classes in the morning.” Steve watched as Bucky climbed into bed and pulled the covers over. Even that was odd behavior for Bucky. He always studied before going to bed. Steve crossed his arms and glared at the lump that was Bucky. Then he got up and slipped out quietly.

~~~  
“I have an idea,” Steve said, after he found Clint and Natasha cuddling under their favorite tree. They often spent their evenings out here, and they weren’t always cuddling. They’d never been caught by security, thankfully, during their more risque endeavours, but this was a pretty secluded area and few people knew about it.

“For what?” Natasha blinked at him. 

Steve sat down next to them. “I want to get back at Tony for last night. Hear me out.” He quickly explained the idea he had. Clint immediately broke into a grin. 

“I love it. It’s perfect.”

Natasha smirked, amused by the idea, but she had to point out the obvious. “If we do this, we can’t focus on just Tony, or he’ll know it’s us. I told you last night, if you attack him directly, he could easily press charges.”

“I know,” Steve said, shifting a bit. He rubbed his hands together, trying not to think of his dip in the pool at Nat’s hands. She was stronger than most gave her credit for. “We can get some others in. Prank everyone in Tony’s class. What’s his first class of the day?”

Natasha shrugged. “Do I look like I pay attention?”

“I could find out,” Clint said. “I work in registration tomorrow morning. It’d be easy to check.”

“Good, do that,” Steve said.

Natasha smiled. “All this because you’re jealous of Tony stealing your boyfriend?” She teased.

“He’s not my boyfriend!” Steve protested loudly. Natasha just laughed, making Steve blush. “Bucky just makes friends with everyone, and it doesn’t always end well.” Well, that wasn’t a complete lie, but it had only happened maybe twice. Bucky was actually a pretty good judge of character. That still didn’t make Steve like Tony.

“So we prank his whole class,” Clint said. “We can’t do it alone. Need to plan.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. 

Natasha smacked his chest playfully. “So that was just your phone,” she accused, with mock offense.

“Well,” Clint answered, eyes twinkling. “I was also very happy to see you. So who are we pulling together to do this?”

~~~  
There was very nearly a riot on campus a few days later. Steve, Clint and Natasha found an empty classroom nearby that they could watch from. Steve laughed as the students in the engineering class left in a rush. A few looked purple with anger, some just looked bemused. A few were shouting into their phones in a rage. As they walked by the window, Steve ducked, then peeked out again, grinning broadly at the painted dicks on the backs of the student’s shirts and pants.

They ducked again, Steve trying not to laugh. Clint didn’t care at all about getting caught here. He was on the floor, laughing like a hyena. “Did you see their faces?” He managed to choke out between laughs.

Clint’s laughter was infectious and it didn’t take long for Natasha and Steve to join in his laughter. The only real disappointment was that he hadn’t seen Tony leave. He hoped Tony hadn’t decided to call out sick today. It had been pure genius, Steve thought, painting dicks on the chairs. 

Everyone knew the classroom desks in this building had just been repainted. They were supposed to have been dry already, but nobody questioned the scent of paint in the air. These classrooms had shitty ventilation. Since the rest of the paint was dry, it was easy to find the same colour and paint nearly invisible dicks onto the chairs.The tricky part had been getting in and out this morning without being seen. They couldn’t have painted them last night, or the paint would have been too dry to do what they needed.

And this was the result. Steve glanced through the window and was finally rewarded with the sight of Tony stepping out with… “Shit.” Steve dropped to the floor.

“What?” Clint paused long enough

“Bucky. You didn’t tell me Bucky was in this class too.” Steve chewed his lips, paling a bit.

“Is that a problem?”

“He had a meeting today. That’s his only suit. If he finds out I was behind this…”

Natasha reached over and punched his shoulder. “Don’t tell him. And remember, all’s fair in love and war.” She grinned and looked out herself. “Oh he is not happy. He’s going with Tony. Oh, I bet Tony’s going to help him with those clothes.”

“Natasha!” Steve tackled her to the ground. “Who’s side are you on?”

She laughed. “My own.”


	6. Turn of events

Bucky was nervous as Tony led him into Stark Tower. He was grateful that Tony had loaned him an outfit. Normally he would have balked at the charity, but not today. Today he was meeting with his childhood idol and the man who could potentially become his boss. Frankly Bucky was surprised he hadn’t turned around and ran away yet. A lot of that had to do with Tony though. The man was all confidence and it made Bucky feel more confident.

This meeting with Howard wasn’t an official interview, but it may as well have been. There was an opportunity to start his internship in the summer rather than waiting until next year. The summer positions were generally held by upcoming seniors, but Tony had been pushing to get Bucky in. If he managed, Bucky would be the first student to start his internship before his junior year.

Bucky glanced at Tony. Okay, second, but he wasn’t sure Tony counted. Tony had been doing this sort of thing since before college. Tony stopped outside of the office and looked at Bucky. “I can’t sit in on this with you. I’ve already told him what I think. And I have to go make a phone call anyway. You’ll be fine. Just remember to breathe.”

Bucky nodded and took a deep breath before knocking. He waited for the confirmation to come in before pushing the door open and stepping inside. The room was brightly lit, with a desk on one side and a scale model of the city on the other. 

Howard smiled at Bucky as Bucky stepped over to the desk. “Hello, Mr. Barnes,” he said, shaking his hand. “I’m Howard. My son’s told me a lot about you.”

Bucky smiled politely, though he had no idea what Tony had told his dad. Bucky used the moment to take the older man in. Lines creased Howard’s forehead and the corners of his eyes and mouth. His eyes were sharp and focused, but there was, perhaps, a bit of coldness there as well. No, Bucky thought. Not coldness. It was the way he looked at Bucky. To this man, Bucky was nothing more than a possible asset. Was this how the man looked at Tony too? 

Seeing that actually helped Bucky relax. He had thought he might have some sort of reaction towards Howard, given the crush he had harboured as a kid, but with Howard being all business, there was nothing to spark that old lust. Howard invited Bucky to sit, and started asking questions about his current projects, why he wanted to be an engineer, and what plans he had after he graduated. There were no personal questions about his upbringing or his family, for which Bucky was grateful. 

By the end of the meeting, Bucky was feeling at ease. He stepped out of the office and grinned to himself as Tony walked up.

“Looks like it was a success,” Tony said, glancing at his phone. “It’s about dinner time. Come on, my treat. I made a few calls and found out who was responsible for the paint job this morning. Thought we could discuss it over a meal.”

“Sounds good to me,” Bucky said. Although still in a good mood, that had been his only suit, and he was eager to know who had ruined it. 

 

Bucky wasn’t sure what he was expecting for dinner, but it certainly hadn’t been this. The french restaurant Tony took him to was a shirt and tie affair, something reserved for romantic dinner dates or really promising business deals, not plotting revenge against a prankster. They didn’t even have menus. The waiter just listed the specials. Bucky self-consciously ran a hand through his hair and let Tony order for him.

Tony waited until the waiter had left them alone, then leaned in conspiratorially. “Okay, so I called Loki, who pointed me in the right direction.”

“Loki?” Bucky asked, dubiously. “You really think he’s the best person to ask?”

Tony chuckled. “He’s a diva who likes to cause trouble. He always knows what’s going on, more than anyone else. And besides, I confirmed it with someone else. It was the art students following the lead of…”

“Steve,” Bucky interrupted, with a nod. Of course, that made perfect sense. “Sounds like the sort of thing he would do.”

“He’s done this sort of thing before?”

“Well, it’s been awhile,” Bucky admitted, laughing a bit himself. “When we were younger, he was always pranking people. Harmless stuff, really. Nothing that would hurt anyone. Hell, I helped more than once. He’s a good man. Just has a bit of a cheeky side.I thought he grew out of the pranking.”

Tony shook his head. “Apparently not. Well, after I confirmed that it was them, I spoke to Bruce Banner. He’s a friend of mine in the bio-engineering school. He’s got an idea to get them back.”

“You’re talking about starting a prank war.”

Tony smiled. “Maybe I am. You in?”

Bucky didn’t have to consider it for long. “Hell yes,” he said with a wide grin. “Whatever it is, I don’t care. We didn’t start this, but I won’t give in either. If Steve wants a war, we’ll give him a good one.”

“I was really hoping you’d say that. So here’s what we’re going to do.”

 

Bucky had his nose buried in one of his textbooks a couple days later, working on an assignment, when Steve came in, still dripping yellow foam. When Tony had explained the prank, and mentioned they’d got the idea from a TV show, Bucky had laughed his ass off. He’d watched the episode later, while Steve was out, and sent Tony a text saying it was perfect.

Seeing Steve now, Bucky had to fight back the laugh that was bubbling up. He bit his lip and tried to look concerned. Steve looked pissed off and Bucky noticed he didn’t have any of his art supplies today.

“What happened to you?” Bucky asked, a picture of innocence.

“The ceiling exploded this crap all over our art room. Completely ruined our group projects.” Steve was rummaging through his clothes irritably, but Bucky could see the determination in the set of his shoulders. Steve was acting like a drama queen as he complained loudly about how he was going to have to start over from scratch and how pissed off the teacher had been, but Bucky could tell that Steve was enjoying the challenge.

Maybe this prank war would be good for both of them. Steve had been acting oddly jealous ever since that day Bucky had gone to Tony’s. This should relax him and give him something else to focus on. Bucky didn’t worry about anyone getting too hurt. They would both be too careful for that.

“You’re dripping on the floor,” Bucky scolded. “That’s going to leave a stain. Go wash up at the showers.” 

“Yeah, yeah. Was just getting a towel.”

Bucky watched him leave, then grabbed his phone and sent a text to Tony. //Perfect. I almost couldn’t keep a straight face.//

//Did he suspect you helped?//

//Don’t think so. He’s not stupid though. He’ll figure it out and retaliate, if I know him.//

//Not a problem. We’re already discussing our next one. Feel free to come over to my place. You can help plan.//

//Sounds good. I’ll be there in five.//

Bucky gathered up his books and stepped out, chuckling to himself as he went.

 

A few weeks later, Bucky walked into his dorm to find Steve scowling at him. “Are you helping them?” Steve demanded.

Bucky blinked. The last thing on his mind at this moment was the prank war. It had escalated quickly, until there was almost a new prank being played every day. Most of the times, one or the other group would pull multiple pranks without waiting for the other to strike. 

In one of Bucky’s classes, the students were supposed to watch a video on safety and ended up with a really horrible porn version of sex safety. That had actually been pretty funny, or so Bucky had thought at the time.

Steve had come in one day to complain about how someone had managed to somehow turned their classroom upside down, literally. Bucky had helped with that one. They’d managed to secure everything to the ceiling, but it had resulted in an all nighter.

There had been other pranks as well, but despite all that, Bucky had been completely focused on his recent projects the last two days and he blanked out for a moment. “Helping who?”

“Tony Stark,” Steve said angrily, crossing his arms.

That was when it clicked. Bucky couldn’t help it. He started laughing, though he wondered why Steve was this upset. Had he really not suspected Bucky at all in this? “You really didn’t know? What’s the matter, Rogers? You can dish it out, but you can’t take it?” He teased, trying to lighten the mood

“Did he put you up to this?” Steve asked.

“Please. You know me better than that, Steve. Half these pranks were my ideas. I’m just surprised you didn’t realise that sooner.”

“Right, so the fire in the media lab was your idea of a joke? Someone could have gotten seriously hurt.”

“Whoa, hold up. Fire? We never set fire to anything,” Bucky protested, confused.

“Sure. I guess Tony’s keeping stuff from you after all.”

Bucky shook his head, sure of nothing else but this. “Tony wouldn’t do that.”

“How do you know? Forget it. I’ll find out exactly who was responsible.” Steve turned and stormed out.

Bucky watched him leave, still confused, then picked up his phone to text Tony. He was still convinced that Tony wouldn’t do something like that, but that meant someone had and they had to find out who.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't be able to update again until Tuesday as I will be traveling and will have limited access to a computer. Thank you everyone for your kind comments.


	7. Uncertainty

“I’m doing a little digging into the fire myself,” Tony said before class the next day. He and Bucky had met up early to discuss the incident. “I don’t think it was part of our prank war.”

“Steve thought you did it,” Bucky said, rubbing his face. Ever since Steve had stormed out last night, Bucky had felt an aching weariness. Steve didn’t really get angry that often, but recently it felt like he was constantly irritated. It was wearing on Bucky now. Steve hadn’t come back to the dorm last night, causing Bucky to sleep fitfully. Now he just felt tired. He needed a break. “But it is a bit extreme for a prank. It was probably just an accident.”

“I agree. The media lab is really only used by the filmography students, but anyone with a student ID can get into the room. It’s not exactly secure.” Tony snorted derisively. “They don’t even have surveillance on it.”

Bucky shook his head. “It’s a college, not a top secret government organization. Why would they need cameras? Still, the president of the university is probably going to step in now. So we should stop the prank war. It’s not fun anymore.” 

Tony just gave a dramatic sigh. “All right. If the art students stop, we’ll stop.” He leaned back, stroking his chin. “I’ll talk to Natasha.”

Bucky quirked an eyebrow at him. “You know Natasha?”

“Yeah, we go back. Sort of.”

“Did you sleep with her?” Amusement and jealousy tinged Bucky’s voice as he asked, although he’d never had any illusions about him and Tony. They’d said from the start that their intimate relations were for pleasure only, and it wasn’t as though they had sex every night. In the past few weeks, Bucky had only slept with Tony a couple more times. Of course each one was just as good as the first, and Tony had even introduced Bucky to a few of the more… kinky elements of sex. He especially liked the handcuffs.

Tony just laughed at him. “Hell no. That woman would break me in half. She may seem loose, but she’s got a lot of class. No, her dad was in the same unit as a family friend, and my dad has worked with the military a lot, so we would just sometimes get stuck together while the grownups talked.”

Bucky smiled, oddly relieved. He had no claim to Tony, but that didn’t mean he wanted to hear all about Tony’s conquests, of which Bucky was sure there were many. He watched as Tony went back to his computer. Tony had a lot of enthusiasm when he wanted it… he was a lot like Steve in that respect, Bucky realised. Although they had vastly different personalities, the core of who they were felt the same. Maybe that was why Bucky had been attracted to Tony…

The teacher came in then, and Bucky sat up to pay attention, but his mind kept wandering to Tony and Steve. What would happen if the two of them were together in the same room? They’d probably kill each other. So why did Bucky keep imagining other things? He rubbed his face again. He needed to get away and clear his head. He was getting too attached to Tony, and he couldn’t risk another rejection like Steve’s. 

At least home wasn’t too far from school. He’d just go home for the weekend, and get away from all the confusion and frustration of school. Let Tony and Natasha and Steve worry about the prank war and the fire and everything else. 

 

Steve slid into a seat across from Tony at the cafeteria the following day. It was a Saturday, so the place wasn’t very crowded yet. Natasha had arranged this meeting, but Steve wasn’t doing this for her. This was for Bucky. He had stayed out all night, doing a lot of thinking. He had no right to feel irritated by Bucky making new friends, really. And he really did want Bucky to be happy, even if it was with someone like… 

Steve frowned at Tony, who was casually leaned back, arm thrown over the back of the chair next to him. He’d come in… what kind of suit was that? Armani, probably. Wasn’t that what all rich people wore? And Tony wore it well. Steve wondered how much it had cost. Money like that could have been better spent on charity.

The air was thick with tension, but Natasha’s voice cut through it. She wasn’t about to leave this meeting to chance. “All right, we’re here to talk and work out our differences. Those are actually your differences. I just did this for fun. So you two talk. If either of you even thinks about leaving before you’ve worked things out, I’ll make sure you’re housed together in the same hospital room.” She smiled sweetly, but Steve had no doubt she meant every word. 

Tony didn’t seem to be in any rush to start, so Steve shifted. He thought of the prank war, thought of the confrontation at Tony’s house, then opened his mouth. “I don’t like the way you treat Bucky,” he blurted out. A blush crept over his face. That was _not_ what he’d intended to say.

Tony blinked. “You… don’t like the way _I_ treat him? I haven’t treated him with anything less than respect.”

“You coerced him into having sex with you. I know you did.” Steve clenched his fists in his lap, but didn’t meet Tony’s eyes.

“I would never do that.” Steve had expected Tony to sound dismissive, but instead there was an edge to his tone that caused Steve to look up. Was Tony actually angry at the accusation?

“Then why would he…”

“Because he was trying to get over you, genius.” Tony’s voice was dripping disdain. “He told me about that. About how you rejected him. Now that he’s unavailable, now you’re interested. If you ask me, the only one not treating him with respect here is you.”

Steve bristled, but he couldn’t deny the truth in Tony’s words. Tony leaned forward and his voice was soft now. “Bucky still cares about you deeply. But he’s trying to respect your wishes and move on. He already knows I’m not a permanent catch. I already told him that before we ever did anything. And I definitely didn’t make him sleep with me. So the real question here is, how do you feel about him? Is he still only a friend to you, or…” Tony didn’t finish. He pushed back from his seat and stood up. “I’m calling the prank war off. And by the way, Natasha, it was Loki who set fire to the media room.”

“How do you know?” 

Tony straightened his jacket. “I did some investigating. I’ve already told his brother. Thor will deal with him. I’ve wasted enough time here. Think about what I said, Steve.” He left the cafeteria and Steve watched him go, conflicted.

 

Bucky came back to school after the end of the weekend feeling much more relaxed about everything. It had been nice to see his family again and being away from all the drama of school helped. He met up with Steve at the dorm and smiled. “Good weekend?”

“Yeah,” Steve said. His friend looked better too, sitting on his bed drawing. “You?”

“Pretty good.” Bucky sat his bag on the bed and started unpacking quietly.

“Look,” Steve said. “I’m sorry. I’ve been a jerk about you and Tony. If you want to keep being his friend or… otherwise, I’m okay with it. Well, not really okay with it, but I’m not angry. And I’m sorry I accused him of the fire.”

“Did you find out who set it?”

“Loki, apparently. We don’t have details of why or how though.”

Bucky turned and walked over to sit next to Steve. “Thank you, Steve. Why aren’t you okay with it?”

“I honestly don’t know.” Steve shrugged. Bucky had the feeling he did know, but couldn't admit it to himself. Bucky wouldn't pressure him though.

“Well, when you find out, let me know.”

“Promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for patiently waiting for the next chapter. I was more tired than I realised and although the chapter was pretty much done before I left for vacation, I wanted to make sure it was consistent before posting it. It's not the end of the story, though. I will be posting the start of summer vacation soon, and I am still planning on having it go through at least junior year.


	8. Summer Internship Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a two parter, then we'll go back to school :D

The workshop was hot as hell. Bucky had stripped off his shirt to work, but even with a fan pointed at his area, his skin still glistened with sweat. He glared up at the ceiling, where the useless air conditioner did little to alleviate the temperature.

That wasn’t really the company’s fault. Arizona was known for its morbidly hot summers. Even a Stark Industries level AC unit could only do so much, and the work they were all doing was pretty labor intensive. At least there was plenty of water to drink. Bucky gulped down another bottle, then wiped his mouth.

He was halfway through this summer internship. He’d been here for a month and a half, watching and learning from the best engineers Stark had to offer. He wasn’t just watching either. This was a hands-on internship. Even Tony was getting his hands dirty here. Tony, of course, didn’t _have_ to do this work, but Bucky had to give the man credit. He had no problem rubbing elbows with the worst of the employees. 

The whole crew was going to take a break and go down to the beach next week. Tony had arranged for the whole week to just be vacation. Bucky glanced over to where Tony was wearing his work clothes. They were surprisingly practical. After getting to know Tony over the course of Bucky’s sophomore year at college, he’d come to realize that the man always dressed in a way to turn heads. Here, though, he had foregone fashion for sensibility.

Not that that did anything to hide his looks. If anything, Bucky thought Tony looked more handsome. He went from using the computer to helping lift heavy equipment and more than once, Bucky stopped to watch Tony’s muscles flex and appreciate the beauty in it.

Of course Bucky had not approached Tony this summer. Although they had shared several nights together at school, and it had been amazing, with this internship, Bucky knew that sleeping with him here would cause rumours to start. He had to prove he could do this. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t look, and it wasn’t as though he was the only one looking. Tony was openly bisexual and it was well known that he might take an offer for a one night stand, but not if the person was hoping to gain anything more than an amazing night of sex.

Bucky went back to his own work. Truth was, he was starting to feel a little frustrated himself. He wasn’t as promiscuous as Tony, and Bucky hadn’t slept with anyone other than him. Not that he didn’t want to, but… If he was honest with himself, no one else interested him, except for Steve and that would never happen. He sighed.

“I feel the same way, kid.” 

Bucky looked over at the guy he was shadowing. Like Bucky, the older man was working shirtless and still sweating like a pig in the heat. “You’d have to be blind not to appreciate the work he puts in. When he takes over for his old man, I won’t mind it one bit.”

Bucky nearly laughed aloud at that. They weren’t thinking the same thing at all. Bucky always threw himself into work, so it wasn’t surprising that Dan just thought Bucky was admiring Tony’s work ethic. He wondered how many of these guys knew that half the time, he was imagining Tony screwing him against one of these tables. Occasionally, very rarely, he imagined it was Steve instead, but those fantasies never played out long. He didn’t want it to affect their friendship.

“That’s true,” Bucky said, nodding agreement. “He’s got an amazing, uh, work ethic.”

Dan nodded and handed Bucky some equipment. “Take that over to Halford, then come back. We’re almost done with this part.”

 

That evening, Bucky sat with Tony, enjoying the night weather and a cold beer. It was still warm, but a welcome relief from the day. The AC was actually doing some good now, but Bucky chose to leave his shirt off. Tony smiled at him. “So the beach trip next week. How would you like me to invite Steve along?”

Bucky glanced over at Tony curiously. “You don’t like Steve and he’s on the other side of the country,” he pointed out.

Tony shrugged. “We put our differences behind us, mostly. Besides, as much as I enjoy working with these guys, they probably don’t really know how to party.”

“Well, I wouldn’t mind seeing him again,” Bucky admitted. “This is actually the longest we’ve been separated since we were kids.”

“Great, you give him a call, make sure he’s available, and I’ll have him flown to the beach house.”

Bucky eyed Tony another moment, unsure if he was playing some game or not, then decided to hell with it. As much as he hated to admit it, he had missed the little punk. And maybe Steve would keep him running around enough to take his mind off of other things. Like Tony’s abs. Bucky licked his lips, then reached for his phone. 

Steve was thrilled of course. He’d never been to California before. Apparently he hadn’t managed to get a job while Bucky was away. In fact, from the sound of it, he was bored, and that was never a good thing. Probably getting into trouble with Clint and Natasha, if they hadn’t gone to their own homes for the summer.

 

Steve scanned the crowd for Bucky. It took him a minute, because Bucky had let his hair grow out. Steve almost didn’t recognize him. Well, he’d been growing it out for the past year, but Steve hadn’t really noticed before. 

Or maybe it was the fact that Bucky just moved with more confidence these days. Either way, Steve thought he looked good and his emotions towards his friend started surfacing again. It was very confusing for him. It didn’t help that this past month had done wonders for Bucky in terms of physique either. Not that Bucky had ever looked bad, but he was more toned now.

Steve licked his lips, then walked over. “Hey Bucky! How’s it going?”

“Not too bad. Glad for a week off.” Bucky smiled back at him and Steve swallowed hard.

“Yeah, remind me to thank Tony. I guess he’s not so bad.”

Bucky chuckled. “Come on, punk.” He slung an arm around his shoulders. Steve could feel the strength in the gesture. “I missed you. Let me show you around.”

Steve was surprised by how big Tony’s beach house was, and by how many people were here. “Are all of these people actually interns like you?” 

Bucky shook his head. “I actually don’t know who half these people are,” he said with a laugh. “That one there is Dan. He’s the one I’m shadowing. Most of these people… I dunno. Maybe Tony pulled them in off the beach.”

Steve shook his head in amazement. He wasn’t sure if half the women here were even legal. He said as much to Bucky.

“Tony isn’t like that,” Bucky said, and Steve bit back annoyance at the simple statement. He forced himself to relax. After all, it wasn’t as if Steve had any claim to his friend. Steve wasn’t even sure that this jealousy was anymore than being afraid he was losing his best friend, even though Bucky had assured him that wouldn’t happen. “Well, if you’re sure they’re all legal…”

“I am,” Bucky said. “You know, you’d probably like Tony, if you gave him more than half a chance. I know you two called a truce, but I can tell you still don’t like him. But he’s been working as hard as the rest of us this summer.”

“And I’m sure you’ve both been all work,” Steve said, unable to keep a hint of accusation out of his tone. Although they had ended the school year with no more incidents, and Steve had managed to keep his mouth shut, he still didn't like to think about Bucky and Tony being together.

Bucky gave him an odd look. “Let’s not do this, okay? I’ve been working hard and I just want to enjoy this week.”

Steve sighed. “I know. I’m sorry. He just… rubs me the wrong way. Well, if it’s fun you want, it looks like there’s plenty to do here.”

Bucky laughed. “You know, if I told anyone how awkward you used to be with girls, they’d never believe me.”

“Used to be? Hell, I’m still awkward. I just hide it better now. And Tasha never let me stay awkward for long.” Steve grinned. “Come on, let’s go explore.”

 

Over the next few days, Steve and Bucky explored the beach and all the little shops and hidden nooks around the area. It had a different feel than the beaches in New York, and that intrigued Steve. His evenings were spent mostly at the house, though he loved watching the sunset on the beach and made sure he caught it every evening with Bucky.

After sunset, they would make their way back to the beach house. Steve would get a drink, sometimes more than one, in hopes that he could ignore the way Bucky was making him feel. Maybe it was just the atmosphere. This whole setup felt very much like a spring break party. And while Steve would flirt lightly with the women, he didn’t really feel like sleeping with them, despite them stating they were okay with it.

He did notice that once he started flirting, Bucky would disappear. He wouldn’t reappear until morning. On the third night, slightly drunk and trying not to think about what Bucky could possibly be up to, he decided to take one of the woman up on her offer.

It did not leave him satisfied, though he made sure she was. If anything, that night just made him more frustrated. Steve told himself this just wasn’t his scene. While he did like to go dancing, he had never really partied this much, despite what others might think. 

The following night, he went and actively looked for Bucky, though he wasn’t sure what he would accomplish by it. It was nearing two in the morning, and he hadn’t been able to find Bucky anywhere. He had a bit of a headache from the alcohol and was swaying on his feet when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

“Bucky?” He asked loudly. The man nodded and pointed toward a room. Steve made his way slowly over and opened the door.


	9. Summer Internship Part 2

The first thing Steve noticed as he stepped into the room was that he was in a bedroom. The light wasn’t very strong, but he still needed time to adjust as he closed the door. The second thing he noticed was Tony and Bucky in bed together. His throat went dry and he licked his lips.

Bucky was blindfolded and handcuffed to the headboard. Tony was fondling him gently, and as Steve stared, Tony met Steve’s eyes without stopping. The implication was clear enough. Tony had wanted Steve to find them like this, though why Steve had no idea.

Steve stepped forward, feeling very angry and confused. “Wha… what the hell is going on here?” He watched Bucky’s whole body tense up at the sound of his voice, and found himself oddly aroused by the sight of his best friend’s chest heaving up and down. Steve was finding it hard to breathe. His thoughts wandered suddenly to what Bucky would feel like under his hands, then he blushed. How could he be thinking that about his own friend? 

Tony sat up with a sly smile. Steve noticed that he hadn’t stopped touching Bucky the entire time. It was almost maddening. Steve both wanted to punch Tony and to join in. What the hell was wrong with him?

“About time you showed up,” Tony teased. He kept his voice soft, trying not to scare Steve away.

“What?” Steve was having a hard time concentrating as he watched Tony’s fingers work. How long had they been going at it? 

“I personally expected you yesterday. I’ll give you credit. You’re stubborn. You can join in, you know. It’s what he wants.”

Steve looked up at Tony, then at Bucky, still blindfolded. “Why isn’t he saying anything then?”

“Because I told him not to.” Tony grinned, then leaned down and nibbled at Bucky’s ear before whispering into it.

Bucky ran a tongue along his lips, then bit his lower lip, quivering a bit. “S-steve?” He said, and Steve’s breath caught in his throat at the pleading tone. “Please, I want you, Steve.”

Steve watched the way Bucky’s mouth moved, practically begging Steve to take him. Steve blamed the alcohol but he just couldn’t hold himself back anymore. He crossed the last few steps to the bed, then leaned down and kissed his best friend.

It wasn’t a chaste kiss. Their tongues danced together and the blindfold was pushed off, abandoned on the pillow. Steve barely paused for air as Bucky moaned into the kiss. Steve was barely aware of Tony presence. Finally he broke the kiss and looked at the other man, not sure how to proceed.

“You’re still dressed,” Tony said disapprovingly, though there was a twinkle in his eyes that said he wasn’t really annoyed. He got up and made his way to Steve. Steve stayed sitting on the edge of the bed and watched warily as Tony came around. Tony moved with surprising agility, tugging Steve’s thin shirt over his head. Behind him, Bucky’s body was tense and Steve glanced over at his friend. Bucky was watching with obvious lust, unable to help Tony although he strained to do so.

Steve looked back at Tony, wondering why he was letting this man that he didn’t even like undress him. Definitely the alcohol. Steve’s thoughts were muddled as Tony pushed Steve further onto the bed and pulled his pants and boxers off in one swift move, dropping them to the floor. “Looks like you don’t need any encouragement,” he teased, wrapping his fingers around Steve’s cock and giving it a few gentle strokes.

Tony seemed to be the one in charge, giving both Steve and Bucky firm but gentle commands. Steve didn’t feel any annoyance or anger, though he thought he should have. All his mind could really focus on right now was getting Bucky’s lips around him. Tony reached for the handcuffs and freed Bucky. Steve licked his lips and watched Tony roll his friend onto hands and knees, whispering in his ear. Obediently, Bucky moved towards Steve, taking his cock into his mouth. Steve's eyes slid shut as he ran his hands through Bucky's hair. A moan vibrated down his cock and he opened them again to see Tony taking Bucky from behind, looking at what he was doing, not at Steve.

Steve wrapped his hands in Bucky’s hair, surprised by how adept Bucky was at this. His tongue lapped around Steve’s cock as his head bobbed up and down, matching the rhythm of Tony’s thrusts. How many times had Bucky done this, Steve thought, jealousy creeping in again. Bucky was better than just good. Was this all Tony’s doing? 

As Bucky sped up his movements, that was the last coherent thought Steve had before losing himself in the moment.

 

Morning came too soon. Steve rolled over with a groan, head pounding. At first he thought last night had been a dream induced by too many beers. His hand brushed bare skin and he opened his eyes with a start. It hadn’t been a dream. Tony was nowhere in sight, but Bucky was curled up comfortably next to Steve, still naked from the previous night.

Steve quickly rolled out of bed and fumbled for his clothes, panicked. What had he done? Bucky shifted in his sleep and Steve froze for a moment, eyes wide. He wasn’t sure he could face his friend right now. Sure, it had been a good night, but Bucky was his best friend and Steve had…

Steve looked away from Bucky, mouth dry. His friend looked handsome in the morning sunlight, hair draped over his cheek, mouth open slightly, and Steve kept thinking about how Bucky had gotten him off using just those lips and that tongue. Steve’s cheeks turned red. No, don’t think about it. He bit his lip and finished dressing quickly. He needed to get away and clear his head, and he couldn’t do that with Bucky right there, tempting him even more.

 

Bucky woke alone. He blinked one eye open, the sun warm on his face. His eye scanned the sheets and he opened the other eye slowly. Both Tony and Steve were gone. Had last night actually happened? Of course it had. Bucky could remember it clearly, the salty taste of Steve’s hard cock in his mouth. It had felt like heaven.

Bucky touched the empty space next to him. The sheets were still warm, but only from the sun. Bucky thought Steve had stayed with him last night, but maybe he was wrong. He remembered passing out, clinging to Steve almost desperately. Maybe Steve had left shortly after that. Bucky’s heart sank a bit.

Sitting up, Bucky stretched and worked out his shoulders and neck. Only his clothes were left in the bedroom. There was a clock next to the bed that told him the time was already after eleven. If Steve had stayed all night, it was possible he’d woken early and just left Bucky to rest. He sighed and grabbed his clothes.

Steve was nowhere to be found. Bucky chewed his lip, worried. Maybe he’d gone too far last night. Steve had said no before. What could have changed his mind? Well, he’d been drinking. Maybe he just hadn’t been thinking clearly. Running a hand through his hair and cursing himself for his own weakness, Bucky decided that he’d apologize. If Steve wanted to forget about it, Bucky would let him.

It wasn’t until sunset that Bucky finally saw Steve. He was in his usual spot, watching the sun sink below the horizon. It truly was an amazing sight to watch. The water looked like gold where the sun hit it. Bucky sat down next to Steve, quiet until the last of the rays disappeared.

“About last night…” Bucky started.

“We were both drunk,” Steve said quickly. Bucky stilled, feeling like he’d been punched. So that _was_ it. Steve had only gone that far because he was drunk. Bucky mentally cursed at himself.

“Right.” Bucky decided it was probably better this way. “We’ll just forget about it then. No harm done.” Standing up, Bucky brushed the sand from his jeans and gave Steve a wide smile. “Come on then,” he said with a cheerfulness he didn’t quite feel. “We’ve only got a couple days left before my vacation ends and you go back to New York.”

Steve smiled at him, and if the gesture seemed a bit forced, Bucky didn’t mention it. He led the way back into the house and went to go find a quiet corner and let Steve have some space. At least in a few days, Bucky would be able to go back to work and focus on something other than his own emotions.

 

Tony looked at Bucky at the end of the holiday. He hadn’t tried to question Bucky about why Steve had panicked, at least not while Steve was still there. Bucky had been grateful for that. “So what happened?”

Bucky shrugged. “Steve said it was just cause he was drunk. I mean, it’s fine. It’s his decision.”

“Steve,” Tony said, staring Bucky in the eyes, “is an idiot and completely clueless about how he feels. I told you that day that he likes you. He’s just an idiot who can’t come to terms with that. I’ll talk to Natasha. She can knock some sensee into him.”

Bucky laughed, and the laughter was genuine. “She would too. But no. I won’t force him. I already feel like I forced him with that night.”

“You didn’t. He knew exactly what he was doing and he wanted you. He stayed with you all night, you know.”

“He did? I kinda thought he left right after I fell asleep.”

“Nope. He stayed. Don’t worry, Bucky. He’ll figure it out.”

Bucky smiled, and hoped that was true.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, just so you know, there will not be another update on this until Monday. I will be focused on polishing up an exchange fic for someone this weekend. But I will have another update on this Monday (with luck) so stay tuned for Junior year.


	10. Exploration

Steve didn’t often use a computer, preferring traditional art over digital (though he had nothing against digital art) and preferring more personal forms of communication to email. He was only ever on the computer when he needed to use it for research or assignments. So when Natasha and Clint found him, on the first day of class, using one of the campus library computers, he wasn’t surprised by their shocked expressions.

“Who are you and what have you done with Steve,” Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms. 

Clint peered over Steve’s shoulder to see what he was up to. Steve didn’t even bother hiding the web page he was looking at. “Bisexuality, eh?” Clint asked. There was no judgement in his tone, just curiosity. “You didn’t know about that?”

Steve shook his head. He was a little embarrassed that he had to look this information up, but after the events of the summer, he needed answers. That was also why he had asked Clint and Natasha to join him. He knew they’d be able to help. “Look, don’t tease me, okay? But I think this might be me. Except I’m not really attracted to all men.” It sounded stupid when he said it.

Natasha sat down next to Steve, keeping her voice low. “It doesn’t mean you have to be attracted to all men. You’re not attracted to all women, are you?”

“Well, no, but…”

“No buts. It’s really as simple as that. I mean, there’s a lot more information out there, but if we’re keeping it simple, it just means you’re attracted to both men and women.”

“What if it’s just one man?”

“That’s fine too,” Clint spoke up, reassuring Steve. “Really there’s nothing wrong with it. No matter what anyone else says. What brought this up anyway?”

Steve shrugged. “I just… I did a lot of thinking this summer.”

“The way _I_ hear it,” Natasha said, leaning in. “You did more than think.”

Steve flushed a bit with anger. “Did Tony tell you?” 

“He called me. Asked me to talk to you.” Natasha shrugged. “I would have anyway. It’s pretty obvious you like Bucky.”

 

Steve looked between the two of them. After Bucky, they were the two people he trusted most. “I wanted to blame it all on being drunk,” he admitted. “But after I got back, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. And believe me, I tried.”

“Then you should tell him,” Natasha said, matter-of-factly.

“You make it sound easy,” Steve groused.

“It _is_ easy. Watch.” She looked at Clint and smiled. “Clint, I love you and I want to see where our relationship goes.” Natasha looked so serious saying it, that even Clint was surprised. Steve could understand. She and Clint had been seeing each other for a while, but as far as Steve was aware, Natasha had never said the l-word.

He had to give Clint credit though. The man recovered quickly. “Natasha, I’d be honoured to explore that with you.”

Natasha smiled wider, then looked back at Steve. “See? Easy.”

Steve laughed, he couldn’t help it. “And what if I get too nervous?” He suspected he would, considering his track record so far.

“Then I’ll just have to lock you both in a room together until you say it,” she joked. 

~~~

Bucky looked at his schedule and groaned a bit. He was going to have a full schedule and there wouldn’t be much time for relaxing this year, it seemed. His adviser had tried to convince him not to take a full load of classes again, especially with the internship, but he’d assured her that he could handle it. Looking at it now, he wondered if maybe he’d been too hasty in that assessment. 

He had classes from eight in the morning until five in the evening. These were all major-specific classes. After his last class, he would have two hours to eat, then get over to Stark Tower, where he would work alongside other engineers for four hours. It was at least a forty-five minute drive, which could have been problematic since Bucky didn’t own a vehicle, but Tony was also working the same shift, so they would carpool.

Running a hand through his hair, Bucky took a deep breath. He could handle this. He’d just have to plan his time carefully. His weekends would be filled with playing catch up on any work he couldn’t get done throughout the week. If he made it through this year, then next year would be an easy ride.

Bucky and Steve were still sharing a room this year. They hadn’t really discussed it, but it didn’t feel right to hole up with anyone else. Steve’s bags had been dumped on his bed long before Bucky had gotten in, but Steve hadn’t been back since. Bucky just hoped he didn’t feel awkward about what happened that summer. 

With a sigh, Bucky set his schedule aside. He had a week until his internship started, and no classes today, so he decided to take advantage of the one break he might have all year and get out of the dorm. He wasn’t sure where to go, but maybe he’d find Steve and they could have lunch together.

Instead of Steve, Bucky ran into Bruce and Tony, who were talking animatedly about a new reactor Tony’s dad had planned in the cafeteria. They invited him to join them. “It’s amazing. Supposed to be a free energy source,” Tony said. “It’s actually what we’ll be working on as part of our internship.”

“Really?” Bucky was surprised. He figured they’d only be helping with easier projects. 

“Yeah, why do you think we got the late shift? He doesn’t want any leak about the reactor, so he’s only having a select handful work on it.”

Bucky sat back, stunned. “That means…”

Tony nodded. “You made a good impression on him. You and I are the only two interns on the project, along with a very small handful of other scientists and engineers. You can’t tell anyone about it. I’m only telling you two because you can keep a secret.”

Bruce smiled indulgently. “If your dad didn’t want anyone to know, then you shouldn’t have told.”

Tony shrugged, not caring as usual, and Bruce shook his head. “All right,” Bruce continued. “I’ve got to get back to the lab. See you both around.”

Bucky gave a distracted wave, his mind still processing what Tony had said. Tony waved a hand in front of Bucky’s face. “Earth to Bucky,” he joked. “Come in, Bucky.”

Bucky blinked and shook his head to clear it. “Sorry, I’m just…”

“Shocked? Amazed? Ready to push me against a wall and kiss me?”

That made Bucky laugh. “All of the above,” he said.

“Well, I suspect you won’t have a lot of free time this semester, considering your schedule…”

“How do you know my schedule?”

“I’d like to say I charmed the lady at the front desk, but really my father needed to make sure you were going to be available.”

Chuckling, Bucky gathered up his food. “Well, you’re right. My schedule is going to be hellish this semester, but it’ll be worth it.”

“Just as long as you don’t work yourself too hard,” Tony said gently. Bucky looked at him. Even now, after everything, he was always surprised by the gentleness that Tony could exhibit. Tony smiled at him. “Gotta protect my investment,” he joked. Bucky laughed.


	11. Friendship

Steve didn’t see Bucky very often over the next week. They had hung out a bit the night before classes started, talking about their summers while avoiding the subject of their week together. Steve kept hesitating, putting off asking Bucky on a date or apologizing for what he’d said at the beach. And then Bucky was going to bed and Steve still had said anything and he mentally cursed himself for his own cowardice. 

By the time he woke the following morning, Bucky was already gone. Steve tried to catch Bucky before bed, but seemed to keep missing him. Either his friend was already asleep by the time he got home, or he came in after Steve had gone to bed.

The following week was even worse, as Bucky started his internship. “Maybe I should just write a note and leave it on his pillow,” Steve said to Natasha after two weeks of not being able to say anything. The two of them were having lunch together, since Clint was still in class.

“Really? You still haven’t told him?”

“He’s never awake or around when I am.” Steve was perfectly aware he was whining, but it was frustrating. Also his own fault, he admitted. “I’m such an idiot.”

Natasha punched his shoulder. “Well, yes. You are. So are you going to help with the production this year?”

“Yeah, I’m going to try. Oh, I didn’t tell you. Some people in our art class got selected to paint a mural on a local building. I was one of the one selected,” Steve said with a grin, forgetting his current troubles.

“That’s great, Steve,” Natasha said, grinning back. “When’s it start?”

“Well, the owner apparently submitted ideas over the summer. Our teacher is going to work on the sketches, but then it’ll be up to us to make it happen.”

“Look at you, going all legit with your street art,” Natasha teased. “Next thing you know, you’ll be wearing a shirt and tie.”

Steve laughed. “Not likely. But yeah, I should have time to help with the backdrops between classes. It’s gonna be an easy year for me, I think. Well, not really easy, but easier.”

“Good, cause we’re going to probably work you to the bone. We’re doing Rent this semester.”

“The musical, right?”

“Yes, you uncultured swine,” Natasha teased. “You have seen it, right?”

Steve laughed and shook his head, then ducked away from Nat’s playful smack. 

“All right then,” Natasha continued. “You have a mission. You will bring Bucky to see the musical as your date. So help me, if you don’t, I will make you regret it.”

“And if he says no?” Steve asked, biting his lip.

“He won’t. You said he’s been in love with you since high school. And especially after that night of love you two shared, I _highly_ doubt he’d say no. But if he does, then I’ll let you off the hook.”

Steve chuckled at that. “All right, all right. Got it. I will invite Bucky to the play.”

“Musical,” Natasha corrected.

“Yeah, that.”

“And as your date.”

Steve heaved an exaggerated sigh. “As my date.”

Natasha grinned again and nodded. “Good. I’ve got to get to class. See you later.”

“You too.”

She left Steve alone to think about how he could ask Bucky to the musical.

~~~  
Bucky, meanwhile, had his hands full with everything. He’d started his internship this week. His first night working was mostly involved in listening as Howard Stark explained the project to him. He was the only one actually new to the project, so there were NDAs to sign, as well as employment paperwork since he was actually getting paid for this. 

Afterwards, he was shown around the building by a woman his age named Pepper Potts. She actually seemed to have a pretty good grasp on everything going on here, although she didn’t say much about it. Bucky could see why she’d been hired despite her young age.

“Okay, so that’s everything. Here’s your ID card.” Pepper handed Bucky a transparent piece of plastic. It had no design on it, not even his picture, but Pepper had shown him how it worked. “Go ahead and try it,” she said, pointing to the break room door. 

Bucky held it up to a panel next to the handle. There was a short beep, then a computerized voice said, “Welcome to the lunch room, Mr. Barnes.”

After a few weeks, Bucky was well familiar with that computerized voice that greeted him at every door. The small plastic contacted a very hi-tech chip that was apparently coded to his biosignature, ensuring no one else could use it. Bucky kept it on him at all times, even at school, not wanting to lose it.

He had guessed he wouldn’t have much time for relaxing, but he quickly realised just what that meant. Three weeks working as an intern had passed now and Bucky was asleep on his feet. He inadvertently slept in the following Saturday, only waking when Steve came in and found him still in bed.

“Bucky, you need to get up and eat something, at least.”

Bucky cracked an eye open, then cursed and sat up. “Shit, I slept too late.”

Steve hurried over to keep Bucky from falling out of bed. “Whoa there, pal. You’ve been working yourself to the bone.”

“Yeah, and I’ve got homework…”

“Homework can wait until after you’ve eaten. Besides I, uh… wanted to take you out to eat.” 

Bucky looked at the clock, then sighed, and looked at Steve, still too tired to really register the look in Steve’s eyes. “All right. But just a quick lunch.”

“Yeah, of course. I know you can’t tell me about your internship, but maybe you can tell me how your classes are going…”

“Really?” Bucky was surprised and now he did look more closely at Steve. “You never want to know about my classes. You said it was boring.”

Steve looked away and went to pull some clothes out for Bucky. “I just… want to know that’s all. I mean, we’ve barely spoken since school started. We’re still friends, you know.”

Friends… Somehow, that word still cut Bucky to the heart, especially when he still wanted more with Steve. Having had a taste over the summer had only increased his thirst. While Bucky had silently made a promise to never ask Steve for anything like that again, it didn’t make it any easier.

Bucky swallowed, then put on a tired smile as Steve turned around and handed him some clothes. “Get dressed,” Steve said. “We’ll go to that one cafe you like off campus.”

Bucky frowned. It was at least a fifteen minute walk. “Why not the cafeteria? That’s close enough.”

“Because I want to take you to the cafe and you need to wake up. The walk will help.”

Bucky sighed. He never could say no to Steve. “All right,” he said, getting dressed. “As long as I can get back in time to work on my homework today.”


	12. In the open

When they had returned from lunch, Bucky had gone straight back to his homework. Steve watched him from his own bed. Well, it had been like a date. Sort of. Except, of course, Steve hadn’t actually told Bucky that’s what it was and Bucky was obviously too tired to notice. So it could have gone better. 

Steve bit back a sigh and looked at his blank sketchbook. He needed to take his mind off of the half successful - half failed date. He started drawing and only when he was halfway through did he realize he was drawing Bucky. Biting his lip, Steve debated throwing it out. Bucky occasionally went through Steve’s sketchbooks. If he saw this…

Well, if he saw this drawing, of Bucky handcuffed to the headboard, looking at him with pleading eyes… Maybe then he would know that Steve had changed his mind. So Steve finished the drawing, pulling that night from his subconscious to waking thought, remembering the curve of Bucky’s mouth, the strained muscles pulling tight against the cuffs, leaning toward him.

Steve closed the sketchbook quickly with a blush, feeling hot and flustered. Bucky was so engrossed in his books, he hadn’t noticed. Steve considered going out, but suddenly the thought of being with anyone except for Bucky just didn’t appeal to him. Steve opened his mouth to ask Bucky…

...then closed it again without a word. Steve had to do this right, didn’t he? After what he said at the beach, what would Bucky think if he just asked to fuck him? Probably that Steve was making fun of him. So instead, Steve put his art supplies away and lay down. He could sleep it off. Maybe he’d do better tomorrow.

By the time Steve woke up the next morning, Bucky was already out somewhere, studying. With a sigh, Steve cursed himself. He still hadn’t asked Bucky to the play. He chewed his lip, then grabbed his art supplies. It was going to be easier to ask his way. He’d make a card for Bucky.

He wanted the card to be perfect though, so he drew slowly. And maybe he was a little nervous doing it this way. Steve wasn’t entirely sure that Bucky would accept anything less than a verbal apology, but… Well Bucky knew Steve, so then again maybe he would.

Steve didn’t finish the card that weekend, but he kept working on it in his spare time, between classes and when he wasn’t helping the theatre department with the backdrops for their musical. He saw even less of Bucky in the following weeks. But eventually Steve finished the card and placed it on Bucky’s mattress, where Steve was sure he would find it.

He beamed at Natasha the next time he saw her. “I did it.”

“Really?” Natasha grinned. “Wow, I really didn’t think you had it in you,” she teased. “I thought you’d just keep giving him calf eyes behind his back. So what did he say?”

“Ah, well…” Steve hesitated.

Natasha narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t ask him.”

“No,” Steve said quickly, raising his hands in protest. “I did. Just not… verbally. I made him a card.”

“A card? Really?” Natasha stared at him incredulously. “You actually are hopeless. I take it you didn’t deliver it directly into his hands.”

“Well, no. I left it on his bed. But come on, Nat. I did take him to lunch on Saturday. It’s just… if I didn’t do it this way, I don’t know that it was going to happen at all.” Steve looked away.

He heard Natasha sigh dramatically, then she reached over and hugged him. “I thought I knocked all that self-consciousness out of you, but I guess that’s why I like you. And, who knows. Maybe he’ll like it. Maybe he’ll think it’s sweet.”

“I hope so. I’m awful with this stuff and I don’t want it to be a one night thing.”

“Neither would he.”

~~~  
Bucky swiped his card at the break room, exhausted. Tony glanced over at him as he walked over to the coffee pot and stared at it for a moment. “You okay?” Tony asked. “You like like death warmed over.”

Bucky gave him a weary smile and nodded and reached for the pot. He looked around for an unused cup. “Yeah, I’m good. Just need about a pot of coffee or maybe a Red Bull.”

Tony chuckled. “You need a day off really. I’d honestly recommend you drop a class.”

“Too late for that now. Last day to drop was...” Bucky stopped. “Shit, what day is it?” 

“Last day to drop was three weeks ago,” Tony said, standing and walking over to help. “You do realise it’s almost time for midterms, right?”

“Yeah, it’s in my calendar. If it wasn’t for that…”

“Okay, you need to take a night off. Come on, I’m going to clock us out.” Tony reached over and plucked the coffee pot from Bucky’s hands.

“What? No, your dad…” Bucky started to protest.

“My dad will understand. He’d rather have you here in top form anyway. Right now, you could make a mistake and then he really would boot you off the team.”

Bucky winced at that. That was the last thing he wanted. “The dorm is too far.”

“Don’t worry, there’s some rooms here. Father put them in for just such an occasion, though that’s not usually the reason I use them.”

“All right. But just for a little while.”

Tony nodded. He led Bucky into one of the rooms. These rooms weren’t protected the way the labs were and were nearly on the other side of the tower. Bucky dropped onto the edge of the bed, letting Tony help undress him. Tony pushed him back and Bucky stared up at him for a moment. “Thanks,” Bucky said.

Tony shook his head. “I’ll have Miss Potts wake you up later.”

Bucky nodded and curled up, falling asleep almost instantly.

 

He woke to someone gently shaking him. “Mr. Barnes?” Bucky vaguely recognized the voice as Pepper’s. “It’s morning. Tony asked me to wake you at six.”

“Six?” Bucky blinked and sat up, rubbing his eyes. He looked at Pepper, then down at his boxers. “Oh shit, I’m so sorry,” he said, throwing the blanket over himself.

Pepper chuckled. “It’s okay, Mr. Barnes. I assure you, I’ve seen worse. Tony is…”

Bucky broke into a grin. “Yeah, he is. Thank you for waking me up.”

“Of course. Your clothes are th…” She was cut off by Tony bursting through the door, panicked.

“Bucky, I am so sorry.”

Bucky frowned. This didn’t sound like Tony’s usual apology. “Sorry for what?”

Tony glanced at Pepper, then held out a tabloid. Right on the front cover, in big bold letters, it read “ **TONY STARK HAS A NEW TOY.** ” Underneath it was a picture of Bucky and Tony together. Blushing, Bucky took the paper and stared at it. 

“It’s… just a tabloid, right?” Bucky asked hopefully. “No one believes those things.”

“If it was just that,” Tony said apologetically. “Then I wouldn’t care. But there’s a crowd of reporters outside demanding a statement of some kind. My dad told me someone’s got photos. _Compromising_ photos, from the beach.”

Bucky looked up and stared at Tony, trying to understand. Well, he understood, but he didn’t want to. “But… how? We kept the doors closed and locked except for that one night.” The night with Steve… 

“That’s not even the worst part,” Tony said sitting in a chair. Pepper slipped out, and Bucky assumed she didn’t want to know the details. “Dad isn’t going to do anything. He said I got myself into this mess, I can get myself out of it.”

“Shit,” Bucky said. His respect for Howard disappeared completely. “Shit,” Bucky said again. “Tony, I’m sorry.”

“You are?” Tony gave a bitter laugh. “Bucky, I can deal with these guys. But you… They’ll eat you alive. I’m the one who should be sorry. Listen. If they find out you were here all night…” Tony shook his head. “You’ve got to get out through the back way. I’ll send one guy with you to help you, but any more would attract too much attention. You’ve already got too much on your plate. You don’t need to deal with the paparazzi too.”

Bucky nodded and reached for his clothes just as Pepper came back in. Bucky turned away to dress, tuning out most of the conversation as he tried not to panic and worry. “I’ve arranged for Happy to escort him through the back. Looks like it’s starting to rain outside, so that should help some too.”

“Pepper, you’re awesome,” Tony said, jumping up. “Do we have a hat we can get him?”

Pepper nodded. “I’ll have one sent up right away.” She looked at Bucky. “Don’t worry, I’ll send Tony out first. They’ll be so busy pouncing on him, they won’t think to look for you. Tony, we should probably just have a car take him back.”

“No,” Bucky said. “It’s okay. I can catch the subway. They don’t know I’m still here, right? So just get me out the back and point me in the right direction. If they think we’re together, they’ll expect a car. They won’t expect me to take public transportation. I highly doubt anyone will really recognize me.”

What Bucky didn’t say was that he suddenly didn’t want to go back to school. He felt like he’d messed up big time. Tony said they had compromising photos. If that was the case… then it would have been pictures of him naked and handcuffed and… Bucky didn’t want to think about it. He also didn’t want to think about the accusation he’d seen in smaller print on the cover, an excerpt from the article. _Local junior uses his body to gain a high profile job._

Bucky ran a hand through his hair. No, if they knew he was a junior, they might be lying in wait there. School was the last place he wanted to be. And god, Steve… What would Steve think when he heard about this? Would he blame Tony like he always did? But it wasn’t Tony’s fault. It was Bucky’s. 

Bucky pulled his clothes on and forced a smile for Pepper and Tony. “I’ll be fine. I’m sure it’ll all blow over eventually. It’s not going to affect the work I do or anything.”

Tony nodded and left the room, clearly distracted. Bucky figured he was deciding what to tell the press. Pepper smiled gently at Bucky. “We’ll wait a few more minutes.”

A round, serious face poked in through the door. “Miss Potts. Is this the target?”

Bucky raised an eyebrow. Pepper nodded, giving Bucky an apologetic smile. “Yes, Happy. This is Mr. Barnes. We need you to escort him to the subway.”

“Of course, ma’am. Does he have his security ID on him?”

Pepper somehow managed to not roll her eyes. Despite the situation, Bucky smiled and pulled it out of his wallet. Happy gave a satisfied nod, then held out a hat. “Here. Keep close to me. If anything happens, I’ll fight the guys off.”

“Happy, they’re just reporters,” Pepper reminded him. “Just walk him to the bus stop.”

Bucky put on the hat, biting back the chuckle. Happy certainly was… dedicated. “Thanks, Happy,” he said. “I appreciate the help.”

“It’s my job. Come on.”

“Through the back, Happy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, this was a longer chapter than normal. I hope you all enjoy. Things are coming to a head.


	13. Ending

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here, have a last chapter. I loved writing this and I hope y'all enjoyed the story as well. Thank you all so much for your support.

Happy was more than dedicated, Bucky realised quickly. He thought the security guard had just been going to leave him at the subway train, which Bucky would have preferred, since Bucky had no intention of going back to the school. Instead, Happy stayed right next to him like the secret service, giving anyone who even came near Bucky a suspicious look. 

Bucky was glad when the train finally came. He managed to escape before Happy decided to check the car as well. He hadn’t wanted to go back to school, but it looked as though he had no choice. 

His suspicions proved to be correct, however. Reporters were already waiting for him, getting into his face. Bucky wasn’t sure why they cared so much, except that it wasn’t a secret that _something_ was going on at Stark Industries that Howard wanted to keep away from the press. Maybe they were just hoping that Bucky could give them information. Instead, he just ducked his head and tried to push past them.

Despite his fears that this would ruin his school life, he found most of his professors were supporting him. All the reporters wanted to write about how the only reason Bucky got the job was because he’d been sleeping with Tony. After all, Bucky was the first junior to start his internship. However, his professors all backed up his skill.

Tony was doing what he could from a distance to protect Bucky’s reputation, keeping his distance not because he wanted to but because he didn’t want the reporters to get any more fuel for their stories. Bucky appreciated it.

Steve was also being oddly supportive. He never said anything bad about Tony when Bucky showed up looking like a drowned rat from the rain. He didn’t even ask where he’d been all night. Bucky was grateful for it. He didn’t lose his internship either, though Howard gave him a week off. Bucky guessed that when no information surfaced about the project, that Howard had decided he was trustworthy.

Despite all that, when reporters and photographers were still coming around two weeks later, Bucky decided to take a weekend off. He didn’t tell anyone. Instead, he just went down to the subway station and made a couple transfers, hoping to lose the one trailing photographer who was the most persistent. Steve had offered to sick Clint and Natasha on him, but Bucky had declined the offer.

 

Steve had followed Bucky at a distance. He knew his friend wanted to be alone, but Steve felt protective toward him. Bucky had never seen the card Steve had made and with all of the excitement, Steve had put it away. Even Natasha hadn’t brought up the subject again. It would have just been terrible timing.

Still, Steve just felt like he should follow Bucky. He didn’t try to be subtle about it, but he also didn’t try to make himself obvious. He just kept watch over him and kept an eye out for the reporter.

By the second transfer, Steve knew where Bucky was going. He also caught sight of the photographer and decided to keep him from catching the next train with Bucky. Steve knew where Bucky was going, this reporter did not. Stepping over to him, Steve stepped in front of him. 

“Oh man,” he said loudly. He knew Bucky would see him and hoped Bucky would take the hint. “Hey, aren’t you that one guy? You know, in that movie!” 

“No,” the reporter said testily, trying to go around him. The train was arriving. 

“No, you are. Are you filming around here?” A crowd was gathering and Steve looked at one of the people. “You know who I’m talking about, right? That one actor. Oh god, what was his name?”

The reporter was trapped now as everyone not in a hurry to get on the train crowded him and tried to name who he was. Smiling, Steve let the crowd ease around him. Bucky was no longer in sight. 

 

Bucky started laughing as soon as the train left the station. He had thought he’d seen Steve and then Steve made that seen, allowing Bucky to escape that reporter. Bucky thought about waiting at the next stop, but decided it was a bad idea. If that reporter escaped the crowd, then he’d see Bucky.

Instead, Bucky texted Steve. _You’re a terrible spy. But thank you. Meet me at Coney Island?_

He didn’t have to wait long for a reply. _Sure thing. You can buy me lunch in gratitude._

Bucky smiled and put the phone away, pulling his hat low. He wasn’t sure anyone would really recognize him, but he didn’t want to take the chance. He transferred one more time, this train would take him most of the rest of the way to the amusement park.

Getting off, Bucky weaved through the crowd, looking forward to some fun. He was brought up short when some men in suits stopped him. “Mr. Barnes?”

Bucky swallowed, looking them over. There were three of them, two of whom Bucky was fairly sure were little more than thugs. “Who are you?”

In response, the man in the middle, only slightly smaller than the other two, handed him a closed envelope. Bucky felt his heart pounding as he took it and opened it. He peeked inside. It was the photos, only these were much worse than the ones in the paper. “What do you want?”

“We’re going to have a nice talk, Mr. Barnes.”

 

Steve got off the train and made for Coney Island. He paused to make sure that the reporter hadn’t managed to follow him as well, then left the subway station. It was a cool day and it looked like it might rain later. Zipping up his jacket, Steve pushed through the crowds as he reached the amusement park, then pulled out his phone and texted Bucky. _here are you?_

He waited a minute, but there was no response. Maybe Bucky was in an area that didn’t have service. Steve pushed through the thick crowds, looking around. Whenever they’d gotten here before, they’d always eaten at a specific place, so Steve headed that way now. 

And there was Bucky, but he was sharing a table with three other men and did not look happy about the fact. In fact, his face was white as a sheet. From this distance, Steve couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Bucky kept shaking his head and it looked like the men were getting angry.

Steve didn’t like the look of it. He quickly called Natasha and explained what was going on. He asked her to call Tony as well, though he wasn’t sure what any of them could do. “Just, I don’t know. I need to get him out of there.”

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Natasha warned. “We’ll find a way there. Just try and stall them.”

Steve closed the phone and chewed his lip. Those men definitely weren’t reporters and they looked dangerous. Steve moved forward. Whatever was going on, he wasn’t going to let Bucky deal with this alone.

He stepped into the restaurant and strode straight over to them. “Hey, Bucky. Who are your new friends?”

The men looked annoyed at the interruption and Bucky looked very worried. “Steve. Uh, these men are with a, er, local business.”

“Oh really.” Steve narrowed his eyes at them. “I don’t remember local business men being allowed to carry guns in public,” he said, keeping his voice low. He had no idea how to stall these men. “And I’m sorry, but if you’re going to make Bucky any business propositions, you’ll have to include me on these talks.”

“And you are?”

“His actual lover,” Steve said. He surprised himself by how easily he said that, and by how right it felt. “Now move over and let me sit down.”

Steve pulled up a chair next to Bucky and sat down. 

“Steve, they’re the ones who leaked the few photos.”

“Why?” Steve demanded.

One of the men stared at Steve for a long moment. “Because we want information. We’ve given your _lover_ a choice. Tell us what we want to know, or we’ll leak the rest of them.”

“Blackmail. Classy.” Then it clicked. “You took these to Stark first, didn’t you?” Steve asked. He reached over, under the table, and grabbed Bucky’s hand.

“Perhaps. It doesn’t matter.” The man in the black suit shrugged and tapped the envelope. “Those are just copies. As soon as Mr. Barnes answers, I’ll hand the originals over.”

Steve looked at him for a long time then looked at Bucky and squeezed his hand. “Did you hear that, Bucky? If you talk, he’ll hand over the originals right now. You know what that means?”

Bucky looked at Steve, confused for a moment, then Steve saw the realisation in his eyes. “Yeah, I do, but…” 

Steve pulled out his phone. It had buzzed in his pocket. One text from Natasha. _We’re ready._ Steve smiled and pocketed it again, then looked at the man. “I guess that means you have the originals on you then. Tell you what. Hand them over, and you won’t go to jail for blackmail.”

“You think you can bluff me, kid?” The man snarled. 

“Who’s bluffing?” Steve gestured and the men turned around. Tony and Natasha had come, and apparently brought lots of back up. 

The man cursed and looked ready to explode. The two thugs were inching towards their weapons. “I’d think twice before causing a scene,” Steve warned.

With a snarl, the man tossed a thin memory card at Bucky. “Fine. But this isn’t the end.” He stood and jerked his head for the other two to follow. Steve watched them go, then let out a shaky breath. 

“I,” Steve said, “am never doing that again.”

Bucky let out a nervous laugh. “Thank you. I thought…” He shook his head. “I thought it really was the end.”

Steve pulled his friend into a tight hug and glanced out the window, giving Tony a nod that everything was okay now. Tony spoke to a couple of the men he’d brought and they dispersed. Tony and Natasha headed toward the door.

Steve looked at Bucky. “Hey. It’s okay. And you know, what I said. About us. I wasn’t just saying that. This is probably a really crappy time to say this, Bucky, but I love you. And I’m sorry I’ve been such an idiot.”

Bucky blinked in surprise and Steve could actually feel him relax. “Really?”

“Yeah. I’ve… actually been trying to ask you out since school started.” Steve gave him a helpless smile.

Bucky laughed. “That explains a lot.” He leaned in and kissed Steve.

“About time,” Natasha said. 

Tony was standing next to her, grinning. “Guess we just need to throw you two into stressful situations more often, if this is the result. Please don’t stop on my account. I like watching.”

Steve threw a plastic spoon at Tony. “Ass,” he said, but his tone was amused. “Thanks for coming.”

“I did it for Bucky,” Tony said. “You’ll have to tell me in detail what happened.”

“Later. Bucky and I were in the middle of something.”

Bucky laughed and kissed Steve again. “Well, we’re all here. Let’s get some food.”

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to explore the thought that Steve was the one always getting in trouble, and Bucky trying to just follow the rules and unable to because of Steve. It looks like it will run through their junior year, or maybe senior.


End file.
